Ben Gernon announced as BBC Philharmonic Principal Guest Conductor

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Ben Gernon will be announced as Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic, during
a live broadcast on BBC Radio 3 from MediaCity UK on 31 January. He will formally take up
the position in Autumn 2017.

The announcement is no surprise to those who have witnessed the rapport that the young
British conductor, aged 27, has built up with the orchestra over recent seasons, conducting
core repertoire as well as The Red Brick Sessions, an innovative collaboration between the
BBC Philharmonic, University of Salford, BBC North and BBC Research and Development.
Gernon has already appeared twice at the BBC Proms, most recently in 2014, to mark the 80th
birthday of former BBC Philharmonic Composer/Conductor Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. In 2013
Gernon won the Nestlé and Salzburg Festival Young Conductor’s Award and in the same year
became a Dudamel Fellow with the LA Philharmonic leading to several important and ongoing
engagements with US orchestras including the LAPO and Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He is
a regular guest conductor of UK orchestras, and is working increasingly across Europe, and in
opera.

Praised for his effortless authority on the podium Gernon started his musical life as a tuba
player in his local brass band conducted by his father. He went on to study tuba and
conducting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Patrick Harrild and Sian Edwards
respectively, and also cites Sir Colin Davis as a profoundly important figure in his musical
development.

Simon Webb, General Manager of the BBC Philharmonic says: “The decision to appoint Ben Gernon is based on the unanimously positive reaction of the
orchestra to his style of conducting, his spontaneity, and his natural communication with both
the orchestra and our audiences. Ben has already performed a wide range of repertoire with
the BBC Philharmonic, ranging from core classical works to the UK premiere of Thomas
Larcher’s Ouroboros and has delighted audiences in many of our regular venues across the
North of England over the last two years. His passion for new music, for reaching new
audiences, and for exploring the new technologies being developed by the BBC coupled with
his brilliance as a conductor make him the perfect match for the BBC Philharmonic’s bold and
adventurous music making.”

Ben Gernon says: “Over the last two years of working with this extraordinary orchestra, we have built an
exhilarating and rewarding artistic partnership. A combination of the orchestra's world class
musicians and their contagious passion and love of music, makes for an electrifying live
experience of the BBC Philharmonic. It is a real privilege for me to take my first titled position as the BBC Philharmonic’s Principal Guest Conductor, and it is with admiration that I look
forward to our future seasons together.”
Alan Davey, Controller, BBC Radio 3, BBC Proms and BBC Orchestras & Choirs, says:
“Ben Gernon is an exciting conductor who has been making waves both in the UK and
internationally and his musical connection with the BBC Philharmonic has been clear to see
through their concerts together. I’m looking forward to watching their relationship continue
to grow as Ben takes up this important new role and hope that audiences enjoy this first run
of concerts together, whether in person in Manchester or Nottingham or through our live
Radio 3 broadcasts.”

The announcement comes as Gernon embarks on a series of three concerts: in the studio, at
The Bridgewater Hall and at Nottingham Royal Concert Hall, with repertoire including
Debussy La mer and Beethoven Symphony No 3 Eroica. In addition to his concerts with the
BBC Philharmonic at its Salford base, Gernon will work with the orchestra in concerts in
venues from Nottingham to Carlisle, as part of BBC North’s commitment to audiences across
the North of England. Deeply committed to education work, Gernon has already presented
a BBC Philharmonic ‘Meet the Phil’ event for local school children and brings to this his
experience in the UK with LSO Discovery and LPO, and in the US with YOLA at LA Phil and
Sistema at Ravinia.

John Storgårds remains with the orchestra with the new title of Chief Guest Conductor.

Juanjo Mena will remain at the heart of the BBC Philharmonic’s music-making as Chief
Conductor until Summer 2018.